Chest, Vol 77, 58-64, Copyright © 1980 by American College of Chest Physicians

ARTICLES

Coronary angiography soon after myocardial infarction

JD Turner, WJ Rogers, JA Mantle, CE Rackley and RO Russell Jr

We evaluated 198 consecutive survivors of acute myocardial infarction and performed selective coronary angiography in 117 of 131 (89 percent) patients who were deemed candidates for angiography by clinical criteria. Overall, left main CAD (greater than or equal to 70 percent stenosis) was found in ten patients (8.5 percent), three vessel CAD in 41 patients (35 percent), two vessel CAD in 37 patients (31.5 percent), single vessel disease in 27 patients (23 percent) and zero vessel disease in two patients (2 percent). Factors suggesting multivessel disease included older age, history of prior myocardial infarction, and post-infarction convalescence complicated by angina pectoris. Factors not discriminating between single and multivessel disease were sex, infarct extent (transmural vs non-transmural), (3) infarct location (anterior vs inferior), and post-infarction convalescence complicated by late arrhythmia or heart failure. This study demonstrates that multivessel coronary artery disease is common in survivors of myocardial infarction and is suggested by the occurrence of post- infarction angina and by the history of an antecedent myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography can be performed safely within 30 days after myocardial infarction in patients with an uncomplicated convalescence and with mild risk in those with a complicated convalescence.